Processing technologies for bioceramic based composites

This chapter will provide a detailed overview of the processing techniques and properties of bioceramics, with special emphasis on nearly inert ceramics like alumina-based composites and bioactive ceramics like hydroxyapatite-based composites and machinable glass ceramics. The chapter mainly covers the types of bioceramic implant–tissue attachments, powder synthesis, processing methods for porous and dense bulk bioceramics, and bioceramic-based composites production using conventional pressureless sintering and pressure-assisted sintering, mainly focusing on spark plasma sintering and glass and glass ceramic production with a controlled heat treatment of nucleation and crystallization. Further physical, microstructural, and mechanical characterization techniques are discussed including phase, surface, and differential thermal analyses. Biological behavior and bioactivity measurements of bioactive hydroxyapatite-based composites, machinable glass ceramics, and zirconia toughened alumina composites in in vitro environments such as cell viability and alkaline phosphatase activity assays are also elucidated.